The Good Book

As a general rule, I avoid whimsical objects. I have nothing against humor in design, per se—it's just that owning a manufactured or crafted object should be a longish-term commitment (what with the environment and all), and I've yet to come across a joke that stays funny after repeated tellings.

That said, the products from the irreverent British design company SUCK UK have such an unabashedly male sensibility that they deserve mention here. They introduced a slew of new products at the Gift Fair, among them:

"Good Book," a flask disguised as a Bible, designed by SUCK UK's founders, Sam and Jude (who go by their first names only).

Alexander Garnett's "Fruit Balls" (actually, this name does get funnier the more I think about it), a glazed ceramic bowl that comes in two flavors: basketball and soccer.

And Anthony Chrisp's stainless steel Dart Coat Hooks.

Sam tells me the products are launching in September, which means they should be available in stores this fall. You can see the full range of SUCK UK's products—which are usually clever, sometimes brash, and consistently well made—at suck.uk.com.